Finding Light Through Abstraction and Reduction
Goodbye to the Winter: My last article on dealing with depression as an artist was better received by my readers than expected, and I’m grateful for that! [Depression: A Journey Through the Long Winter] Since some of these works are minimalist or unusual, they may not be easy for everyone to appreciate.
In today’s post, the spectrum I’m trying to cover is defined by minimalist studies, sketches, drafts, and finished paintings. The works are intended to lead from the winter season into the first rays of spring.
Auguste Rodin:
“My drawings are the key to my work.” [1]
The Power of Black and White in Art
I’ve written before about the importance of unpainted space in Chinese painting. I often return to the phrase “Respect the black, but revere the white” (尊墨重白) [2]. The white space, which may occupy more of a painting than the ink, is an active part of the composition. See The Essence of Chinese Painting: Emptiness and the Meaning of White.
As someone who likes to question or simply play around with things and thoughts, I’ve “switched up the colors,” and the following works are examples of this. Painted on black paper, it is now the unpainted black areas that require special attention. This seems very simple at first. However, since this also requires attention to aspects such as light, contrast, dynamics, etc., it quickly becomes a challenge.
Art has a remarkable ability to connect individuals, transcending differences in approach and style. In this spirit, I dedicate these works to my fellow artist and online friend, Nick (inSPIRAtion). Several times, our conversations offered me strength during moments of uncertainty. Nick’s thoughtful and encouraging reactions have been an invaluable source of support. Nick recently showcased his own black paper art. His surreal style is fascinating. Despite different approaches, we share a similar artistic language.
Abstract Art with Underlying Ideas
The following pieces represent light emerging from the dark, marking the conclusion of my series on depression.
Although these works may appear to be just abstract, gestural drawings, each piece is rooted in a specific concept roughly formulated before starting painting. So this conceptual foundation is embedded in the art, even if it is not immediately evident to viewers.
The work below began with a provocative thought: how might Christo [3], known for wrapping physical objects and buildings, wrap elements of my abstract paintings?
Based on a photograph by Wolfgang Volz
Omit Even More
Before presenting more detailed works, I’d like to share two minimalist pieces I created during my depression phase. In these works, I aimed to strip down as much as possible from that emotional state. Through this process, I sought to explore how many strokes were truly essential. The Austrian artist Oskar Kokoschka [4], whom I greatly admire, is often credited with the thought: “True art is an art of omission.”
Black branches reach, a soft dance,
Stillness holds the frame.
New growth climbs the paper’s white,
Spring’s breath, a light touch.
From Small Studies to Larger Works
To conclude, I’d like to present two pieces created with more effort. These minimalist works reflect the principles of reduction and the dark state of mind while striving to establish a more solid foundation.
The first piece remains turbulent. The initial traces of spring emerge amidst the lingering gray and winter undergrowth. I think of this work as a dark jazz song: “Goodbye to the Winter“.
Winter’s final cry,
Soft hues pierce the smoky haze,
Jazz rhythm, rebirth.
The Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives, again rendered in an abstract manner, alludes to Easter, resurrection, and the beginning of a new yearly cycle. However, in light of current circumstances, it has taken on a tone that is far from optimistic.
The experiments with light on black paper later continued in a new direction in The Gift of the Green Snake.
Footnotes
[1] Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), French sculptor and draughtsman. The short quotation about his drawings is documented by the Musée Rodin, which attributes the statement to his conversation with René Benjamin in 1910.
[2] 尊墨重白 (Respect the black, but revere the white)
尊 (zūn): Respect, honor
墨 (mò): Ink (black ink, specifically)
重 (zhòng): Value, emphasize, consider important
白 (bái): White
[3] Christo Vladimirov Javacheff (1935–2020) and Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon (1935–2009), known as Christo and Jeanne-Claude, were artists noted for their large-scale, site-specific environmental installations, often large landmarks and landscape elements wrapped in fabric, including Wrapped Reichstag (1995).
[4] Oskar Kokoschka (1886 – 1980) was an Austrian artist, poet, playwright, and teacher best known for his intense expressionistic portraits and landscapes, as well as his theories on vision that influenced the Viennese Expressionist movement.
Related articles
Depression: A Journey Through the Long Winter · The Essence of Chinese Painting: Emptiness and the Meaning of White · The Gift of the Green Snake
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